Development of Mobile Search Applications over Structured Web Data through Domain-Specific Modeling Languages M.Sc. Thesis Atakan ARAL June 2012
May 25, 2015
Development of Mobile Search Applications over Structured Web Data
through Domain-Specific Modeling Languages
M.Sc. Thesis
Atakan ARAL
June 2012
Acknowledgements
• Joint agreement for T.I.M.E. Double Degree Program between:
– Istanbul Technical University
– Politecnico di Milano
• Article 2.1 – (...) They shall produce a final thesis in English with
summaries in Italian or Turkish, which shall be presented at both Institutions. Thereafter they shall be awarded the titles of "Laurea Magistrale in Ingegneria" at PM and "Master of Science" at ITU. (...)
Acknowledgements
Research and development for this thesis was carried out
• in collaboration with M. Sc. Ilker Zafer AKIN
• under supervision of Asst. Prof. Marco BRAMBILLA
• within the scope of the Search Computing Project (SeCo)
Acknowledgements
• SeCo aims to build the answers to complex search queries
– by interacting with a constellation of cooperating search services
– using ranking and joining of results as the dominant factors for service composition
• DataBase Group in Politecnico di Milano
• Funded by the European Research Council
• November 2008 - November 2013
Index
1. Problem Definition
2. Thesis
3. Background Information
4. Proposed Solution
5. Implementation
6. An Example Scenario
7. Conclusion
Problem Definition
• Web search applications are primarily designed for access through PC’s
– Most widespread usage scenario
• Adoption of web-enabled smartphones, tablets and embedded devices
– Different application goals and user expectations
– Limitations and opportunities
– Different interaction methods
Problem Definition
• Basic text-based search had been acceptable until recently, but…
• Technological advances
– Broadband internet connectivity
– Device mobility
• New trends
– Web 2.0
– Semantic web
• Higher expectations
Thesis
• We aim to propose a novel search paradigm focussing:
– Mobile devices
• Utility information on concepts and on geo-located entities, rather than web pages
• Less complicated interaction and minimal textual input
– Multi-Domain search
– Exploratory search
– Enhanced presentation of results
Thesis
Our claim is that:
‘New search paradigms may let users conduct the search on small devices without being hampered by the limitations of the devices themselves.’
‘Appropriate solutions may also exploit the advantages of such devices for further improving the overall search experience.’
Background Information
• Multi-Domain Search
– ‘Queries that are over more than one semantic field of interest’
– Automatically combine the results of domain-specific searches
– Provide answers originating from various domains
– Exhausting and time-consuming job without multi-domain search
Background Information
‘Find a good database conference in October 2012 in Milan, Italy, with accommodation in a 5-star hotel with reasonable price’
‘Find a Cinema in Paris that has Titanic movie on display with a good, nearby Chinese restaurant’
Background Information
• A multi-domain search application may include:
– Identifying semantic fields
– Identifying input parameters
– Invoking domain-specific search services
– Associating and combining results
– Ranking and sorting combinations
– Presenting combinations
Background Information
• Exploratory Search
– ‘Blends querying and browsing strategies from retrieval that is best served by analytical strategies.’
• Motivation
– User may not be an expert in the area
– User may be unsure on how to conduct the search due to technology or process
– User may be unsure about the goal of the search
Background Information
• Increasing human interaction in search
• Supporting the user in every step of the search process
– Identification and formulation of the query
– Exploration of most relevant and credited information sources
– Presentation of results
– Possible improvement of the query
• Specify
• Broaden
Background Information
• Search Computing Framework
− Mart Repository
ReST API
− Query Processor ReST API
Background Information
• Connection Patterns in SeCo
Background Information
• Mobile Search Interfaces
– Smaller screen size and resolution
– Ability to use in different orientations like landscape and portrait
– Responds to hand gestures instead of clicks
– User can interact with a single application and a single screen of it at the same time
– Less computational capacity
Background Information
• Presentation of Results
– Result set for multi-domain query can be highly dimensional
– Multiple visualization methods should be provided
• map view for geo-referenced objects
• timeline view for time-located objects
• other methods when suitable interval dimensions are not available
Proposed Solution
• Initial formulation of the the query
– Top-down approach, predefined items
Service Interface
Access Pattern
Service Mart
Movie
Title
IMDb
Yahoo! Movies
Genre IMDb
Proposed Solution
• Collection of input parameters
– Predefined input list
– Specialized form elements for different data types
• Coordinates, date, time etc.
Proposed Solution
• Presentation of results
Proposed Solution
• Improvement of the query
– Predefined connections
– Possibility to add another domain after a domain-specific search is complete
– ‘Potentially unlimited loop of connected domain-specific searches’
– History list/map to review previous selections and add new domains
Proposed Solution
Service Mart
Access Pattern
Service Interface
Input Form Results
History
Connection Pattern
Implementation
• Web search is conventionally carried out in web pages through a browser instead of standalone applications.
• The application is developed as a web application optimized for mobile devices and browsers.
• A domain specific language for developing mobile web applications called mobl is used.
Implementation
• Integrates all aspects of a mobile web application into a single language: data modeling, user interfaces, application logic, styling and web services.
• Compiler generates HTML5 / Javascript / CSS mobile web applications that run on modern Webkit-based browsers – iOS (iPhone, iPad), Android (2.0+), WebOS,
Safari and Chrome
Implementation
• Statically-typed language with type inference
• Lets specify ReSTful web service interfaces declaratively
• Integrated Development Environment
– Eclipse based
An Example Scenario
‘A real estate for sale around here with an open IT position nearby’
Conclusion
• We propose a solution for multi-domain search and exploratory search performed on mobile devices
• Our main focus is on non-functional requirements
• Proposed solution is also implemented as a mobile web application.
Conclusion
• The proposed application paradigm
– helps the user to develop complex multi-domain queries
– with the aim of exploring the results from credited sources with ease
– and possibly associate them with one another
Conclusion
• It increases the usability of exploratory search in mobile devices w.r.t. the desktop computers
• It exploits the strengths of the mobile devices interaction paradigms by channeling them to the search process.
Thank you for your time
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